


Complications

by Reddwarfer



Category: In Plain Sight
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 21:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reddwarfer/pseuds/Reddwarfer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Things are complicated, even when they shouldn't be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Complications

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tocourtdisaster](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tocourtdisaster/gifts).



It's months later when Raph finally has time to process everything. Before that, time's nothing but a blur: the hospital, fear, and searching for the person who put Mary in there in the first place.

Now that everything is slowing back down to normal, little things pop up in his mind when he least expects it. Like how Marshall was the first person Mary had called for when she woke. Marshall had sat by her bedside as often as possible, errantly rubbing a circle around his finger.

He tells himself not to read too much into it. They're co-workers, friends, and have known each other longer, but it doesn't do much to quell the unease.

"Mary," he says, curling around her in their bed. The wedding hasn't been mentioned since before the shooting, nor has he seen her wear the ring. He feels stupid waiting for Mary to bring it up, and feels worse for knowing she won't. "We should set a date soon."

She cranes her neck to look at him, a frown on her face even as she's pretending the question doesn't bother her. "Yeah, we'll do that soon."

Raph wonders if she knows that he's aware it's a lie. "Good," he says aloud, but he doesn't know what to say next.

Mary gives him her best half-assed smile and returns to her pillow. He tells himself, as they both pretend to sleep, that being in her bed means something.

 

A few days later, Brandi corners Mary after work. Raph wisely stays out of sight in the kitchen.

"We should have a party. A Wedding shower." Brandi sounds gleeful at the thought of it.

"No," Mary says with a sarcastic laugh.

"Come on, we could invite your friends from work. It'll be great."

"No. Definitely not," Mary replies, the playfulness gone.

Raph can practically hear Brandi pouting. "Yes. You're getting married. You need to have one. You're supposed to be celebrating. You're supposed to be happy."

"_Squish_," Mary whines, sounding desperate even to his ears.

"You are happy, right?" Brandi asks, serious, in a tone he's only heard on a handful of occasions.

Mary pauses for one moment and then another. "Of course. All right. A party. Just nothing ridiculous."

"Great!" Raph hears the excitement in Brandi's voice and wishes Mary had even a tenth of that.

After that, the ring comes out again, if only for an hour or two a day. Mary tends to shove her hands in the pockets of her jeans or coat, as if trying to hide it. Raph wonders if he should say something, but is far too worried that everything will come crashing down if he does.

Silence doesn't feel all that much better.

Yet, he pretends he doesn't see the Bridal magazines Brandi brought home in the trash. He pretends Mary doesn't flinch every time the word wedding is mentioned. He pretends he doesn't notice how quickly the wedding ring is hidden away whenever Marshall is around.

He comes home early from work one day to Brandi and Mary arguing heatedly about him, of all things.

"You can't keep treating him like this."

"And I should start taking relationship advice from you, why?"

"You love him, right?" Brandi asks, ignoring the jibe.

Mary sighs. "You know I do."

"Then why are you acting like you'd rather be tortured than deal with anything wedding related?"

Mary doesn't reply for a while and then settles on, "It's complicated."

"It shouldn't be," Brandi says gently.

"Yeah, it shouldn't be, but it is anyhow." Raph doesn't know why and can't ask, and it just about kills him to keep quiet. Being direct with Mary, however, is usually a losing battle.

When he finally comes fully inside, it's to Mary and Brandi sharing an awkward hug. Mary offers him half a smile and he notices the ring is on her finger. It's not much, but it's a step.

It's not until the night of the wedding shower party that he understands what _complicated_ actually means.

Marshall comes in with a strained smile, looking for all the world like he'd rather be anywhere else. He drops a white gift bag with silver and blue tissue paper on the table with the rest of the gifts, and grabs himself a drink before ambling over toward them.

Mary greets him with an awkward tilt of her head and an apologetic smile. "You came," she says.

Nodding, Marshall agrees before launching into the history and evolution of bridal showers, to which Mary listens intently even as she rolls her eyes. After he finishes, they stand together in increasingly strained silence until Mary waves at someone across the room and says, "I'm just going to…" and points as she walks away.

"Congratulations, again," Marshall says as he offers Raph his hand. And that's when he sees it: the clearly masochistic look of someone who's been in love with Mary for a long time.

He swallows over the lump in his throat, shakes Marshall's hand, and replies with a choked, "Thanks."

They stand next to each other after that, watching Mary accept congratulations from different people with her typical bad grace. Despite everything, he feels for Marshall, and wishes there was anything he could say to make things better.

In bed that night, Mary lies flat on her back, staring at the ceiling. "Would your mother be terribly disappointed if we drive to Vegas and elope?"

Raph feels a rush of satisfaction that Mary offers a scenario in which marriage is the outcome. He smiles. "Yes, she'd never forgive either of us."

"I guess we'd better pick out a date, or I'll be the one cut up in a pot on the kitchen stove."

"Probably a good idea."

She turns over and places her hand on his chest. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asks, giving her an out she doesn't deserve, but he loves her, so it's okay.

Mary leans forward and kisses him instead of answering. Raph lets her get away with it and kisses her back, rolling on top of her. Sex isn't the solution to their problems, but it's one of the few Mary's willing to give.

When she goes to work the next morning, he notices the glint of the ring on her finger as she waves goodbye. He doesn't think she's ready for the bridal magazines to make their reappearance, but it's close. And, for the first time since he's proposed, he believes Mary wants this, too.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to my lovely beta.


End file.
